ZOLOFT and TRAZADON and MAYBE BI-POLAR

Ive been on zoloft for 3.5 weeks now and I take 75 mg a day and take 50 mg of trazadon at bed time when needed. Doctor seems to think that I am not bi-polar but a few times a week I get hyper manic from the zoloft and or trazadone. I was hoping maybe some one here found out they were bipolar from taking ssri meds and or if any one has any advice then that would really help.

I'm not a doctor (but I have been to enough of them ), but SSRIs, like Zoloft and others, have been reported to trigger mania in bipolar patients. From what you describe, I would definitely consider bipolar as a possibility and let your doctor know what you think/feel and pay attention to any negative side-effects. I have taken SSRI after SSRI (starting way back when they didn't know that these weren't always good for people with bipolar) and have had nothing but negative effects all the way. The first thing you need is an informed psychiatrist. There are many "newer" drugs that are reputed to be effective for bipolar patients that are outside of the anti-depressant/SSRI category (mood-stabilizers and others). An informed doc would probably try these, if he/she suspects you are bipolar.

I agree with the previous poster, Zoloft can push some people in manic states, especially bipolars. If it is just depression you have maybe all you need is a different anti-depressant, however if it is Bipolar then you definitely need an altogether different medication regimen. You might try getting another psychiatrist's evaluation of you, they might see things differently. I had to go through a couple doctors myself before I got one that knew what worked best for me.

Yep, Zoloft can really push one into acute mania. This is how I found out that I was bipolar. Previously my docotor and I thought I was "just" depressed.

When I went into manic mode, all hell broke loose in my life. No need for sleep, excessive spending, lack of sexual control, etc. I was on cloud nine, nothing could stop me. I was feeling so well, I quit taking the Zoloft, why? "Why should I take an antidepressant when I'm feeling so good!".

This ended up in a depression crash-n-burn. Which was horrible. Didn't consider suicide, though (knock on wood).

The good part was that this caused my doctor to ask "better" questions about my past, and he was able to properly diagnose me as bipolar.

The hard part after was that my doctor asked if I would be willing to go without any medication for a month or so, just to clean out my system so we could start fresh and try some new ideas. It was really hard, but made it through.

The interesting thing, as that while I was without meds, I spent time researching everything I could about bipolar. Found out that the newest thought is that it is genetic, and that bipolar is possibly caused by low levels of dopamine. I was also diagnosed that I have RLS (restless leg syndrome), which is also a disorder with dopamine levels, and found anticdotal information that the two might be related. I passed this information on to my doctor and he was really intrigued!

So, we decided to just try Requip for RLS (L-dopa suppliment) and see how it affects the bipolar side. So far, so good!!!! I haven't had a manic or depressed episode for over two months now (I was an ultra rapic cycler, btw). Emotional levels are stable. And I am almost ready to start looking for a job. (I haven't been able to hold a steady job for 5 years now because of the mental issues).